This invention relates to hook-supported arrangements and, more particularly, to a unique hanger for garments and other articles having web-like portions.
Heretofore, various devices have been proposed and used for the display or storage of various articles of clothing including pants, slacks and shoes. It is fairly common practice to display or store slacks or pants by using hanger-like devices having an elongated, rigid, rod-like member to which are secured clamping elements. The clamping elements engage either the bottom of the slacks or the top of the slacks and the device permits storage or display of the article of clothing from an elongated support rod. An example of one such device may be found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,092 to Garrison, et al., entitled GARMENT CLAMPING HANGER WITH SLIDABLE LOCKING CLIP issued on Oct. 23, 1973. Clamping type hangers have been found to be unexceptable for use with jeans or other clothing which is fairly stiff and slippery prior to wear and repeated washings. The gripping portions of the clamps are unable to effectively grasp such articles and suspend them from a support.
Also, it has been fairly common practice to employ a more conventional hanger construction with a transversely extending pant rod. This arrangement, besides being fairly expensive for use in the storing of pants in the home or for display purposes, occasionally results in unwanted creases in the slacks or pants if they are improperly folded over the rod portion. Further, rack structures employing a plurality of spaced, parallel rods have been employed for display of pants or slacks at the retail sales level. Such a structure does not generally make efficient use of available floor space. It is not an effective display device. The structure is fairly large, presents difficulties in the removal and reinsertion of the garments due to interference between adjacent garments and, therefore, does not present the pants to the customer in the most advantageous manner.
Therefore, due to these inherent problems in the hangers heretofore employed, a need exists for a simple, inexpensive, easily mass produced hanger-type device capable of effectively suspending such garments and by which the problems heretofore experienced may be substantially alleviated.
Heretofore, various arrangements have also been proposed for the display of shoes to a retail sales customer or for the suspension of shoes in a storage area. Such arrangements have generally taken the form of shelves or rack structures attachable to a support surface or suspendable from an elongated support-type rod. Also, some elaborate, elongated wall shelf arrangements have been employed to display a plurality of shoes to a customer. These arrangements have been relatively expensive, bulky, and not readily rearrangeable to suit the available storage or display space. They have also made inefficient use of available space.
Therefore, a further need exists for a simple, easily mass produced and inexpensive item which would be readily adaptable for the suspension of a pair of shoes from a vertical support surface or from an elongated support rod. Such an arrangement would reduce the costs involved in providing for the display of shoes and the like in stores. Such reduced cost would especially be desirable in the area of large volume retailing.